Seniors came together at Orange Coast College for the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2013 Wednesday night.
Student speakers Esmeralda Reyes, Celina Huynh, and Julie Jackson were among the first to address the audience. Reyes recalled her fears as a freshman and how much her perspective of high school had changed. Huynh spoke about how much she had learned over the past four years , and Jackson encouraged her peers to discover their potential.
“When I first wrote the speech I was nervous about saying it in front of a large audience, but the more I worked on it and practiced, the more confident I became,” Jackson said. “When it was finally time to deliver the speech in front of the stadium, I felt relatively calm and tried to speak with sincerity. I was no longer thinking; I was feeling. I really believe everything that I said, and I hope it encouraged some of my peers.”
After the speeches, diplomas were handed out. “I felt amazing and excited to finally reach the end of my high school career,” Vartan Kazezian stated.
The graduates tossed their caps as confetti filled the sky. The stadium quickly emptied as the spectators hurried off to meet with loved ones. The rest of the night was spent taking pictures and saying goodbyes.
“I’m really sad high school is over,” Kazezian said, “but I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
